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es better than you think he is," Carlisle recalled. "And he was right." "Joses had a really strong and solid career in the NBA," the Mavs coach continued. "Hell go down as one of the top European players ever."

SHANGHAI, China -- Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic overcame tough challenges in their quarterfinals at the Shanghai Masters on Friday and moved a step closer to a possible showdown in the final. Glenn Dorsey Jersey . Top-ranked Nadal saved three set points and finally closed out a 20-minute tiebreak in the first set against Switzerlands Stanislas Wawrinka before winning 7-6 (10), 6-1. Djokovic, the defending champion, needed nearly 2 1/2 hours to rally past Frances Gael Monfils 6-7 (4), 6-2, 6-4. Djokovic and Nadal improved to a combined 20-0 record against the pair. Their semifinal opponents had much easier matches. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga defeated Florian Mayer 6-2, 6-3, and Juan Martin del Potro advanced with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Nicolas Almagro. Tsonga next plays Djokovic, while del Potro meets Nadal. If Djokovic and Nadal do meet in the final, it would be their 39th professional matchup -- and second in as many weeks. Djokovic defeated Nadal last Sunday in the China Open final in Beijing after the Spaniard was assured of retaking the No. 1 ranking from him. Nadal had a lengthy first set against Wawrinka -- a player who had never taken a set off him in 10 matches. After fending off three set points by Wawrinka, the Spaniard hit a cleverly disguised drop shot from the baseline to go up 11-10 in the tiebreak and finally managed to win it on his fourth set point with a forehand winner. "Match in general, first set especially, was very, very hard one," Nadal said. "Positive thing, when he was playing well, I was playing well, too. I was able to resist. If I was not playing well, I was going to lose that set." Djokovic looked out of sorts against Monfils. The Serb hadnt been broken in his two previous matches in Shanghai, but he dropped serve twice in the first three games. "Inexplicably, I started serving quite bad, but not many unforced errors," he said. "Its just sometimes that you start off slowly and youre not feeling the ball as much." Monfils played remarkable defence in the first set, sliding and stretching for every ball and forcing errors. At one point, Djokovic was so frustrated, he clenched his fists and let out a full-throttle scream. "Today was a very physical match and very intense," he said. "I knew coming into the match that hes going to run for every ball and hes going to make me play an extra shot. Sometimes I was even surprised with the balls that hes getting back." In the second set, it was Monfils turn to get emotional. Down 3-1, he sprinted after a drop shot and did a split trying to reach it, falling on his back. After lying still for 15 seconds, he finally wandered back to the service line -- and received a time violation. Monfils angrily questioned the umpire about the rule and berated him on the changeover. Then, a couple of games later, he began grimacing in pain and took an injury timeout to have a trainer massage his abdominal muscles. He never recovered, looking increasingly drained in the third set. "It was really tough," said the Frenchman, who ousted Roger Federer in the third round. "I get a bit scared with my abs. It was tough for me to serve full bore. For sure, against Novak, its impossible to win if not serving 100 per cent." Meanwhile, Del Potro and Tsonga each spent a little over an hour on the court. Del Potro, the 2009 U.S. Open champion, moved back into the top five in the rankings on Monday for the first time in more than three years. He believes hes capable of challenging Nadal, Djokovic and Andy Murray for Grand Slam titles again. A win in Shanghai would make a statement: Hes never won a Masters title and he would have to get past Nadal and possibly Djokovic to do so. "I felt close to them in some parts of the year, some matches during this year, like in Wimbledon (where he lost in a five-set semifinal to Djokovic), or when I beat Djokovic (and) Murray in Indian Wells," he said. Tsonga is also on the comeback trail. He missed several months with a knee injury and also parted ways with his coach, Roger Rasheed, after less than a year. Hes slipped to No. 9 in the rankings -- his lowest position in two years. Tsonga believes he has a good shot against Djokovic, despite losing their past eight matches. "I think he has lost more matches this year than the other years, so maybe its an opportunity for me," Tsonga said. Joe Montana 49ers Jersey . Mitch Holmberg added a goal and three assists. Connor Chartier also scored for the Chiefs (3-0-0). Luke Harrison spoiled Garrett Hughsons shutout bid with a power-play goal at 13:17 of the third period. The Spokane goaltender finished with 28 saves, including a Brandon Fushimi penalty shot in the second period that would have tied the game 1-1. Y.A. Tittle 49ers Jersey . They hope to persuade the other team owners and commissioner Roger Goodell to put pressure on Redskins owner Daniel Snyder to drop the nickname they find offensive. "Given the way the meeting transpired," Ray Halbritter, an Oneida representative and leader of the "Change the Mascot Campaign," said Wednesday, "it became somewhat evident they were defending the continued use of the name. http://www.football49ersjerseyauthentic....e-49ers-jersey/ . Peter Gammons, an analyst for Major League Baseballs network and website, drew the ire of hockey fans on Sunday when he criticized the two NHL teams on Twitter for their physical game the night before.DALLAS - Mavericks guard Jose Calderon was barely two minutes into his post-shoot around assembly with the media before he was blindsided by the first of many hugs from his former cohorts. Mavs shoot around had just let out and the Raptors were slowly filing onto the court at American Airlines Center when DeMar DeRozan ran straight to the far baseline, surprising his former teammate with a hug. Amir Johnson was next, followed by Jonas Valanciunas and several other Raptors players until finally, he was greeted by his old coach and good friend Dwane Casey. "Its always going to be a little bit of a different game for me after all those years in Toronto," Calderon said with a big smile on his face, which of course is nothing new, ahead of Friday nights contest against his former team. "I still have a lot of friends on the other team." Listen to all the action live on TSN 1050 Radio in Toronto, beginning at 8:30pm et. Traded to the Pistons in the three-team deal that netted the Raptors Rudy Gay last January, Calderon had spent his first seven-plus NBA seasons in Toronto. He remains the franchise all-time leader in assists and free-throw percentage, ranking second in games played, fourth in minutes and fifth in points. At the time it seemed like an inevitable, albeit saddening breakup. Bryan Colangelo had just acquired Kyle Lowry to pair with and eventually replace Calderon, whose contract was expiring. The trade was hardly a surprise but its one the Raptors are regretting nearly 11 months later. Gays time in Toronto was short-lived for obvious financial and stylistic reasons while replacing Calderons quietly dependable production has proven to be a challenge, one the Raptors hope Greivis Vasquez may help solve. The Raptors recorded 20 or more assists in 22 of 23 games with Calderon starting prior to last years trade however, they accomplished that feat in just 21 of 56 contests with Gay in the lineup. A lot has changed in 11 months, as Calderon noticed when putting together a list of dinner guests on Thursday. "Yesterday, I was trying to put together a list of guys who could come for dinner," he said. "And it was like okay, there are not so many guys." The point guard, who ended up hosting Valanciunas and seven members of the Raptors staff at his new home on Thursday night, has played with only six current Raptors. Only two, DeRozan and Johnson, were teammates with Calderon for more than a couple months (they played with him for just over four seasons.) "That happens all the time," the nine-year vet said. "Thats how the NBA works, even more now with the new GMM in Toronto and all the new management. Joe Montana Jersey. You knew changes were coming." For those who had the opportunity to play with him, to coach him, Calderon has been missed. "That was my point guard coming into the league," said DeRozan, in the midst of a career year. "And in the early stages of my career he really helped develop me into the player I am now. He helped me understand a lot and I commend a lot of my success to Jose." Inking a four-year deal with the Mavericks over the summer, Calderon and his family are getting comfortable in Dallas. In 24 games this season, the Mavs guard is averaging 11.9 points and 4.5 assists, making more threes per game (2.6) than he has before while shooting a career-best 47 per cent from long range. At 32 years of age, Calderon was the old man in Toronto, but in Dallas he fits right in. "I think its making my job a little bit easier playing with guys like Vince (Carter) or Shawn (Marion) or Dirk (Nowitzki)," he said. "They know how to play. For a point guard, being with guys who know to play all the time is easier, so I feel really comfortable out there with them for sure." As Mavs coach Rick Carlisle pointed out, its hard to believe how long Calderon has been in the league, especially for those that remember him as a raw, timid rookie out of Spain back with the Raptors in 2005. At that time Carlisle was coaching the Pacers and remembers the words of Lithuanian guard Sarunas Jasikevicius, who was familiar with Calderon having played against him overseas. "He came to me one day and said, that guy Calderon is a very resourceful player, hes better than you think he is," Carlisle recalled. "And he was right." "Joses had a really strong and solid career in the NBA," the Mavs coach continued. "Hell go down as one of the top European players ever." Both teams got their greetings and reminiscing over with early: Calderon with his old teammates, Carter with the Raptors media and staff and Casey with Carlisle, his former boss in Dallas. Once the ball is tossed up its all business for the Raptors, who are coming off a last-second overtime loss and are beginning a daunting four-game road trip. "Not [for] me," DeRozan said, asked if it will be difficult to face a player that has meant so much to him. "Not me personally, not at all. I understand that once we step on this court I could be playing against my mom and Im going to go out there and try to win." At 11-2, the Mavericks own the second-best home record in the Western Conference and have won 12 of the last 13 meetings with the Raptors in Dallas. cheap nfl jerseys cheap jerseys cheap jerseys cheap jerseys cheap nfl jerseys wholesale jerseys ' ' '